


A Jealous Occasion

by sidekickjoey



Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Eugene tries his best, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Innuendo, Jealousy, Love, Mentions of Sex, Olaf (Disney) - Freeform, Rapunzel learns what jealousy feels like, Romance, Sven (Disney) - Freeform, Wedding, Wedding jealousy, Yes Frozen is mentioned but this is mostly Eugene/Rapunzel, happy couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-16 03:52:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17542154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidekickjoey/pseuds/sidekickjoey
Summary: When Rapunzel and Eugene attend Anna and Kristoff's wedding, Rapunzel fears that perhaps her own wedding was not up to par. Eugene fears his wife is going to combust in the middle of the wedding reception if he doesn't calm those fears of hers, and fast.





	A Jealous Occasion

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first work for Tangled and I am super excited to post it. I'm absolutely in love with the movie/series, and when I was watching Frozen recently, this idea popped into mind. It sort of became my baby for a while, so please let me know if you like it :)

“Do we really have to go to this? Didn’t we nearly end up frozen in a heap of ice last time?”

Buttoning up her husband’s cream colored dress shirt, Princess Rapunzel rolled her eyes.

“Eugene,” she chided, her voice dipping in the sing-song way that told him _yes, I know, but please be quiet before you push things too far_ , “you heard what Dad said. Arendelle is a much more stable place now than it was when we left it last. Elsa’s not had a single mishap since.”

Despite her soothing words, Eugene still held apprehension in his chestnut eyes. Perhaps it was because of how, during the aforementioned storm, he had nearly lost his fingers from frostbite and had to watch his shivering wife hold on for dear life as her body struggled to keep her warm. He did not exactly seem like the forgiving and forgetting type. Rapunzel had never pinned him to be, anyway. And, to be fair, it was quite the traumatic event. She would be lying to herself if she did not also carry some wariness about returning to her cousins’ far off city. However, she had a duty to follow, and that duty required she be present at significant events relating to the crown such as her cousin’s wedding day. Being the lucky man he was to find himself in the hands and home of a future queen, Eugene shared that duty, whether he liked it or not. Someday he would learn, she swore. Until then, she caressed his face and brought it down to her with a reassuring smile.

“Hey, it’ll be alright.”

He softened at her words. She loved how she could watch him melt before her very eyes at her word.

“I trust you. But,” he added, gazing into her emerald eyes with the type of begrudging trust only a husband could give to a wife, “if any more funny business goes on, we are taking the next Maximus _outta there._ And I mean it, Blondie. I’m not looking to lose any toes any time soon.”

Rapunzel giggled. Pushing him gently away, she silenced his protests by resuming dressing him for their trip. A bright, golden sash slipped over his head and rested dutifully across his chest, as if it were meant to be there all along. He looked so dashing in gold – almost more so than other colors. It made him look so regal and gallant. She thought the color brought out the few specks of gold in his hair, which she noticed after closely inspecting him one night in the moonlight. When she was alone, panning through the drawings in her journal, Rapunzel often wondered if Eugene had been born blond and, through time, shifted into a brunette. She also contemplated whether or not a child of his would be born blond, but the anxious situation that aroused was far too complicated for her to unpack all at once, so it was quickly discarded from her mind.

“It shouldn’t be too bad this time,” she said, tucking one of those loose golden hairs behind his ear. “After all, it’s only a wedding.”

Eugene huffed, unimpressed. “And the mess we got into last time was _only_ a coronation. Besides, do you need a reminder of what happened at _our_ wedding? The frog? The _Maximus_?”

“They don’t have a Pascal or Maximus, Eugene,” she dismissed. _What a drama queen._

“But they could have something worse.” He frowned as Rapunzel pinned the official Corona seal on his chest. “Remember that huge moose thing we saw as we left last time? The one that blond guy was _speaking for_?”

Giggling, Rapunzel stood on her tip-toes to peck his cheek, smoothing down his dress shirt in the process. “That was a reindeer, Eugene. I think Anna said his name was Sven?”

“Whatever it was, it looked like it could eat a guy if it wanted to.”

“You’re not going to get eaten by a reindeer at a wedding, Eugene.”

“You don’t know that.”

Oh, how she loved her husband’s mindless worrying about anything and everything. Though often tiresome to handle, it kept her sane. Seeing a glimmer of imperfection confirmed he was human. In doing so, it also reminded her that she was okay to worry sometimes if she needed to, too. She liked it. Besides the fact it gave her assurance, it also made him more attractive. Too much perfection felt too forced. It also reminded her of the days when Gothel preached perfection, but that was a rabbit hole she rarely let herself fall down. So she appreciated whatever she could get from her thief-turned-hero husband.

Shaking away her thoughts, Rapunzel decided to switch the subject. Grabbing her husband’s hand, she guided him, newly dressed and ready to journey, out of the palace and down to the docks. This was the dawn of the big day, after all, and they needed to leave on time if they were to make it to Arendelle for the wedding.

Her parents were incredibly nervous to see her go; an understandable fact given the King’s brother and sister-in-law lost their lives on the same journey for Rapunzel’s nuptials. They were even a bit nervous for their troublesome son-in-law, though they would never show it. They still were a bit too prideful and skeptical about his background to show how much he had grown on them and how sad they would be if anything happened to him. However much they worried, though, they needed to let the two young ones venture on uninterrupted. Arendelle required a ship, and even though it was a bargain to take one out on the high seas, it would be a horrid disservice to Rapunzel’s orphaned cousins to simply send _no one_.

So, despite the risks involved, Rapunzel and Eugene set forth their path. Rapunzel showed a brave face, but even that could not hide the way her hand really, _really_ held onto Eugene’s as they walked to meet the King and Queen at the docks. It also did not hide the stray few tears that escaped in their goodbyes, hot and leaving weaving trails down her reddened cheeks. When it came time to board, and her eyes grew wide and her legs began to wobble, no amount of bravery in her expression could conceal her true worries. It took all but a shaky breath of hers for Eugene to catch onto how fake her expression had been before.

Somehow, in that way only lovers can know things, he understood without words that, while his biggest fears were centered at the destination, her biggest fears were focused on the journey and the journey alone, and she was staring them straight in the face by setting foot on the boat. Upon reaching her on the dock, he took her hand firmly in his and guided her slowly, reassuringly, up onto the ship. His hand, placed gently on the small of her back, made her feel less uneasy as the ship left port and made its way into the great, wide-open sea toward Arendelle.

She did not leave his side once along the way.

There was a sense of excitement in her, though, when she caught sight of land again a few days later. She was busying herself by playing chess with Eugene – an idea he proposed after she spent a good fifteen minutes panicking over the slight rise in wind speed and wave height around them – when she saw it: Arendelle’s castle. It shone like a beacon in the night to her, filling her once nervous stomach with a fluttering of butterflies. She gasped and immediately dropped the game – which Eugene had been winding, for the record – to go run up to the side of the ship and get a better look at it. A few minutes later, she could see the entire kingdom clearly without any squinting necessary. Eugene joined her side and wrapped his arm around her waist as she gawked, admiring her admiring the kingdom.

“I’ll admit, it looks pretty spectacular from here.”

Rapunzel grinned, cocking her head up at Eugene. “Do you think Corona looks this nice when they come visit?”

“Of course.” He replied without missing a beat, punctuating it with a kiss to the crown of her head. “There’s not a more beautiful city out there.”

Though, as Rapunzel gazed out at Arendelle, she wondered if that were really true. The land was so lush and full of greenery. Its rustic feel in the summertime gave her such a warmth to behold – a warmth that had been lacking on their last visit, regrettably. If she had her paints with her and were not fighting off seasickness, she would have gladly began to paint the sight down into her journal. She made sure to take a mental screenshot of it though for later. She always had had a great memory.

As the ship approached the official royal dock, Rapunzel could hardly contain her excitement. Bounding over to the exit, Eugene stumbling behind her in hand, she all but pounced out onto the solid ground to feel the cobblestone beneath her feat. The royal guards of Arendelle seemed rather perplexed at her enthusiasm, and especially at her lack of footwear. Eugene merely sent them a knowing, almost pitying smirk before letting himself be dragged on forward. _Amateurs._

The gates to the inner castle were massive compared to Rapunzel. She remembered their original opening as being quite a grand gesture, one that her cousin Anna met with great excitement and jubilance. She did not even get a chance to say hi to her as she sprinted outward through the crowd back then. Of course, now knowing the reason behind the excitement and all her cousins had been through, Rapunzel could understand and even relate to why she acted in such a way. She herself had been rather in her own world about leaving her tower and exploring Corona for the first time. She nearly slammed into Eugene as he tried to climb down her tower in her initial journey into the world. There was a set of thrill to freedom that one simply could not shake nor be distracted from.

Upon approaching the gates this time, however, there was less pomp and circumstance. People, whom Rapunzel cited as wedding staff and merchants, flowed freely through the magnificent gates. Though escorted by guards, she was not certain anyone batted an eye to her and Eugene’s arrival. It seemed all too commonplace for people of all regards to pass through now. That, or the staff were far too busy to care. Either way, it was a welcomed change.

Arm in arm with Eugene, Rapunzel stepped up the steps to the castle’s entrance and followed their royal detail inside. The castle looked far more enticing to be in than it had before. Royal white lace and fabric lay strewn across every surface it seemed. Brilliant ivory flowers filled vases lined the halls. Where windows had once been shut, sunlight now poured into every crevasse. It reflected and created spectrums of rainbows in the most beautiful of ways on Rapunzel’s golden gown. If Eugene looked when the lighting hit just right, he could swear he saw the dress mimic the exact way Rapunzel’s hair used to glimmer when she sang.

_“Rapunzel!”_

Out of a door a few doors down sprung the future blushing bride, Anna. Hair tied up into a pink bow, she sprinted down the hall in a regal pink gown to embrace her cousin. Behind her, decked out in a demure yet equally stunning purple gown, Elsa trailed out and offered Eugene a small smile. He returned it with his best formal smile, ensuring he stood tall. Cousin or not, she was a queen, and he did not exactly want to get on her bad side, especially after the whole ice thing.

“It’s so good to see you,” Anna chirped. She snagged Rapunzel from Eugene’s arm to envelope her in a near bone-crushing hug. Rapunzel hardly minded – she was known to give a few of those herself every now and then. “I’m so glad you could make it in time for the wedding!”

Rapunzel’s face broke out into brilliant happiness. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world, Anna! I’m so happy for you and Kristoff.”

“Hello Eugene,” Elsa said, shyly hugging the consort. “Welcome back to Arendelle.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to be back. You know, when it’s warm and all.”

A hint of nerves sparked in his stomach as her eyes widened, but he was soon put at ease as she giggled and blushed. Little did he know, she had been trying to let things roll off the cuff a bit more these days. Anna had told her to lighten up a bit, and now with her powers being accepted and the gates open, she felt a bit more keen to begin to do so. His remark was perfect practice.

“Yeah, I suppose it is nicer, isn’t it?”

“Elsa, you look lovely,” Rapunzel chimed in, going in for a hug as Eugene hugged – or rather was hugged _very tightly_ by – Anna. “Queenship has really suited you well, I see.”

“So has your own coronation, I see.” She grinned and sent her younger cousin a wink. “I take it the two of you are doing well?”

“More than well,” Eugene said proudly, bringing his loving wife back to his side. “We’re enjoying life without too many surprises.”

Seeing Elsa’s eyebrow raise, Rapunzel quickly chimed in after her husband. “Remind me to tell you about the busy life we led _before_ our wedding sometime, Elsa. It’s quite the story.”

The queen nodded, skeptically so. “Will do.”

“What’s all the commotion about?”

The group turned to see Kristoff and, to Eugene’s continued bewilderment, a small snowman with a cloud and snowflakes raining above it make their way down the hall. Anna sent them both a look of endearment before trotting over to the blond and giving him a big kiss on the cheek. _Kristoff_ , Rapunzel noted. His brawny face tinged scarlet at the act, causing the snowman to give a cheesy chuckle.

“Nice to see you again,” Kristoff welcomed the group as he approached Rapunzel. She was quick to give him a hug, though it proved semi-awkward with their height and size difference. As she pulled back, she wondered just how her cousin did it so easily. She was not that much taller than her, if at all. Eugene shook hands with him and met a similar shock. The man’s strong hands somehow seemed to be bigger than his own – a feat not many could pull off, Rapunzel remembered him saying one time. He stared absentmindedly in his own world at his pair as Rapunzel continued to make small talk beside him, covering for him.

“Are you nervous for the big day?”

“Kind of,” he admitted, Anna inching into his side. “It’s not every day you get married, you know.”

“Unless you’re unlucky.”

“ _Eugene.”_

 _“_ Sorry.”

“I cannot wait for you two to see our cake,” Anna gushed. “It’s got a _ton_ of layers and even has chocolate fudge throughout it! Can you believe that? _Fudge!”_

 _“_ That sounds delightful!”

“You’d do best to avoid that cake, my friend,” Eugene said, eyeing the snowman at Kristoff’s feet. “Bad things happen to secondary characters who try to get involved with weddings. One moment you’re near the wedding cake, and then the next it’s barreling away into the palace’s halls and you’ve got a frog and a horse fighting to be the ones to save it before it inevitably crashes into the wall and turns your wedding guests all shades of white and yellow. I’ve seen it my friend and it is _not_ pretty.”

The snowman frowned, just missing Rapunzel harshly elbowing Eugene right in the rib cage. “Is this guy serious?”

“What Eugene means is we cannot wait to get our own taste of what I’m sure is a delicious cake,” she hurried out, flashing everyone there an apologetic smile. Weaving her arm back into Eugene’s, Rapunzel cleared her throat and looked around her. “I-Is our room somewhere nearby, by any chance? Our journey was long and I think it’d be best to turn in for the night. S-So we aren’t tired for tomorrow, and all.”

“Blondie, you’ve got oodles of excitement, how could you possibly be ti- _owww!_ That _hurt!_ What have the chefs been feeding you, lately?”

“We _really_ would appreciate some sleep,” she added, ignoring the glare from her husband as he rubbed his bruised ribs. Sensing the fragile balance of Rapunzel’s sanity and Eugene’s civility slowly crumbling, Elsa stepped forward and pointed the two in the direction of a room six doors down to the left. Rapunzel was gracious for the guidance and thanked her cousin with the most pleasant smile she could muster. She gave an additional warm farewell to everyone in the room, including Olaf the snowman, before yanking her doting husband down the hall and away from the scene.

When they finally made it inside their room, a plush setting with a bed Rapunzel was _aching_ to fall into and pass out on, she slammed the door shut and met her husband with a raised eyebrow and tapping foot. Before he could get one word out about the splendor of their accommodations, he took in her appearance and realized he was better off saying nothing. His wife rarely was angry, and when she was? Well, it was best to make yourself scarce. He sat himself down onto the bed with a gulp, awaiting his fate.

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you’re mad at me.”

“Somewhat,” Rapunzel said gently, “yes.”

“Is it what I said to that creepy snowman thing?”

“Partially.”

“Or was it the sarcastic comment hinting at divorce and remarriage? Because even I have to say that was a bit of a stretch for me.”

Rapunzel folded her arms, cocking her hip out to the side and giving Eugene a very stern _you’re about three seconds from finding yourself banished to this room for the rest of the weekend_ glare. He shifted inward on himself under her gaze.

“Look, Blondie, I-”

“I don’t know what this weekend is going to hold Eugene, but can I at least guarantee that you won’t be the cause of any of its antics?” She plopped down beside him on the bed with a sigh. “I want everything to go well for Anna and I think it’s going to, but we could _easily_ cost her that if we start meddling and putting ideas into people’s heads. People’s… _and_ snowmen’s.”

“I told him not to do it, to be fair.”

“Eugene.”

Looking to his wife, Eugene sighed and brought her into his arms. “Alright, Blondie. I’ll behave, I promise. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad at you,” she breathed, sleep threatening to shut her eyes for her, “just nervous. On edge. I don’t want their wedding to turn out…to turn out…well-”

“Like our wedding,” Eugene finished. Rapunzel gazed up at him shyly.

“Is that bad?”

“I don’t know about you, but I thought our wedding was pretty great.”

“Eugene, the stains from Maximus and Pascal’s _incident_ are still _to this day_ being rubbed out of the floor by the palace staff,” she frowned. “The chefs had to remake our cake _in less than two hours_ because some of our guests threw a literal tantrum and threatened to cut diplomatic ties with _all_ of Corona. Oh, and must I remind you of how our reception decor was _destroyed beyond repair_?”

“Alright, alright,” Eugene said, rubbing her arms as he spoke, “no need to get all worked up over the past.  So, our wedding had a few slip ups. Or,” he retracted, seeing Rapunzel throw a pointed glare his way, “a lot. But Blondie, we still had a wonderful day. The ceremony was beautiful, the decorations you threw together last-second fit the theme…plus, the second cake the chefs made was _delicious_. I seem to remember a certain someone dancing the night away when the time came, too.”

Rapunzel blushed. “That was pretty fun.”

“See, it wasn’t so bad.” Smiling, Eugene kissed her cheek. “I’m sure that, no matter what happens, Anna and Christopher-”

“ _Kristoff._ ”

“Gesundheit. Anyways,” Eugene promised, “they’ll be fine. We’ll have a good time, okay? I’ll make sure of it.”

Rapunzel smirked. “And just how are you planning on doing that, Mr. Fitzherbert?”

“Well,” he said, tossing on a quick smolder and holding his wife a bit closer, “I have a few ideas, though most of them are admittedly not for the general public's eyes.”

“Oh? Tell me more about those.”

Eugene chuckled. “It might be better if I show you, dear.”

“I can get with that.”

Bringing Rapunzel’s lips to his, Eugene leaned the both of them down onto the bed. Once he was hovering over her, he gave her a brilliant grin that could have rivaled the sun itself.

“Let’s get to work then, shall we?”

~~~~~~

They woke to the sound of bells.

The grand bells, which sat perched above the castle’s royal chapel room, tolled in an enthusiastic chorus. Rapunzel’s eyes fluttered open as they all chimed at once, clattering together with the loud _bong_ of the main bell. In her line of sight was her handsome husband, his eyes also fighting to open. His brows were knit together and expressing their distaste of the sunlight spilling into the room, which gave him a sort of grumpy child look. His hair also was falling partially in his face, obstructing her view ever so slightly. Those locks of his sometimes got a little too long for him to handle, and from Rapunzel’s line of sight, she noticed they were dangerously on the verge of getting there. He would need a haircut as soon as they returned to Corona, she was sure. She smiled softly and wrapped her arm across his unclothed waist, tugging him closer. He met the action with a sleep-filled moan.

“Rapunzel?”

“I think it’s wedding day, Eugene. We need to get up.”

“Mmm,” he hummed, “can we push it off for a few more minutes? Or hours? I’m not picky.”

“ _Eugene.”_

Eugene brought Rapunzel’s lips to his, silencing her motherly tone in an instant. One day it would make for a great tether on their kids, but today was not the day for her to put it into use. Pulling back, he yawned and let his head rest once more like a rock on his pillow, defeated. Rapunzel tutted. If she was not so keen on getting them up and ready for the day, she would have admired how cute he looked in this exhausted state. She had forever to catch moments like that, though. They only had a few minutes to get ready before guards would be checking up on them and their safety.

“Eugene, you can’t keep kissing me and expecting that to work.”

“Shhh, Prince Consort trying to sleep here. _Ow! Hey!”_

 _“_ Get up,” Rapunzel chided, sitting up and gazing down at the lazy man before her. “We have to get ready. If we don’t, people will start to talk.”

Blinking his eyes open, Eugene gave a sleepy smirk her way.

“Whatever would they talk about, Princess?”

“Shut up.”

This only made his smirk grow wider. “Would they talk about how, late last night, they heard a man deflowering the Princess of Corona all throughout the castle halls? Or, do you think they would mention how they can see it in our faces that last night was _far_ from a restful one?”

“ _Eugene!”_

“I bet they heard a lot of that in the halls last night, too.”

Blushing profusely as Eugene laughed, Rapunzel covered her face and got up out of bed. Oh, how little Anna knew she was getting herself into on this day. The company of a husband was both a blessing and a curse: on one hand, you got a lovely man to wake up to and cuddle with and love, but on the other, you got a _boy_. A sometimes crass, silly, arrogant boy whom, no matter how much they irked you, you could hardly ever _really_ be angry at for long. Shaking her head, Rapunzel left his side and went to her wardrobe.

Her dress for the day had been picked out for weeks. That was what happened when you were a princess, she had learned through time. People chose your outfits, and they did so so far in advance that it was often hard to keep up. She knew this outfit well, though. It was a gorgeous homage to Elsa’s color of choice in her newfound queenship: blue. The grown was a beautiful royal blue sweetheart style, with gold lining the bodice just above the skirt and at the top in small wisps. Bringing it up to her body, she turned to show it off to Eugene and was pleased to find him already looking.

“I love you. Do you know that?”

Rapunzel grinned. “I think so. Feel free to tell me about it more, though.”

Oh, how he loved her wit. She had gotten such a confidence from him in the past months. Where before she had struggled to match him, she now could dish out exactly what he served, and Eugene _loved_ it about her. He would never point it out in fear that she would retract and catch herself doing it, but he never failed to meet it with a smile. It made him giddy. It made him see he really was having an effect on her, and she was really paying attention to him.

Climbing out of bed, he walked forward until he met his witty, quick wife. Taking the gown from her hands, he helped her carefully put it on, making sure to avoid any movement that may make it wrinkle. As soon as it was on, he went to get out his own outfit. Over a black dress shirt, he wore a blue suit with golden embellishments along the sleeves and collar. Rapunzel helped him put on a sash and the Corona crest. She smiled as his look all came together.

“You look handsome.”

“I feel handsome,” he replied, not a hint of modesty in him. “Think we’ll upstage the happy couple?”

Giggling, Rapunzel cupped his face. “We’ll give it a shot, but something tells me it’ll be a hard feat to accomplish today.”

And it was. When Eugene and Rapunzel finally made their way out to the chapel, they came to find that not a single thing was underdone. Even more ribbons and decorations were scattered across the hall, and by the chapel’s entrance, a huge ice sculpture created a tunnel for the guests to walk under. The chapel itself was decorated with flowers by the bushel. Light from the windows set a gorgeous golden hue in the room, recreating the ‘golden hour’ effect Rapunzel had always loved and wished had happened at her wedding. At the front stood a very nervous Kristoff. He was already fidgeting at his collar and entering stressed, pre-wedding conversation with tuxedo-clad Olaf. Eugene noticed Sven off to the side, in his own version of a tux and holding the rings on a dainty pillow, and huffed to himself as he took his seat. _Animal carrying the rings? Risky move, cuz._

“Isn’t this all just so beautiful?”

Turning to his wife, Eugene smiled. “It’s not bad, I have to agree.”

“I love what she did with the alter,” Rapunzel noted, pointing out the rows of white flowers which lined each individual step to the alter. There was something delicate about their placement that caught her eye, and from the looks of the other guests, she was not the only one admiring them.

“I liked our decor better, though.”

“Really?”

Nodding, Eugene took Rapunzel’s hand into his, intertwining their fingers. “Yup. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I liked its subtleness.”

“You? Subtleness?” She laughed, throwing him a playful smirk. “I’m shocked.”

“Well, a man can’t be _all_ out-there in his tastes, you know. That’s so _boring_. Where’s the fun in that?”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe,” he said with a wink, “but you love me for it.”

Squeezing his hand, Rapunzel wordlessly confirmed she did. Right as Eugene was about to steal a kiss in the chapel though, the music from the grand organ began calling everyone to stand. Instead of cupping her cheek, Eugene’s hand fell to hold her up by the small of her back. He held her close as little girls, daughters of the palace maids perhaps, threw more small white flowers across the aisle. He held her even closer so when Anna appeared and took the love of his life’s breath away.

Decked out in the purest of white lace gowns, Anna clung to her sister’s arm with a shakiness that only a nervous bride could exude. She took each step forward with anxious excitement, and with a look up to Kristoff, Eugene could see that the burly man took each one of those steps with an anxious breath of his own. He knew that feeling well. It had felt like it took King Frederic a year to walk Rapunzel up to him on his own wedding day. Breathless, he hardly knew what to do other than stare at her with a lovesick grin and breathe out a ‘wow.’ Eyeing Kristoff give that same lovesick grin to Anna, he had a feeling the same breathless feelings he had pondered were swarming through him. _Good for Anna._

Rapunzel sighed softly and leaned into Eugene as Anna passed. She was gorgeous. _So_ gorgeous. Her hair was surprisingly left to hang down, framing her face in a new way Rapunzel had never imagined with such elegance and femininity. The lace sleeves she wore trailed up her arms like snow crystals on a window, exploding into a smattering of flakes along her bodice. They trailed down and went away in wisps on the soft fabric of her long, sweeping train. She was a vision from heaven, and Rapunzel was taken back. Had she looked that beautiful on her wedding day? Her train had been long, but it was nowhere as long as the one Anna sported. Her dress certainly paled in the detail category, too. The thoughts and self-doubts pestered her until the gnawing on the happiness she so desperately wanted to feel for Anna felt almost suffocating. Rapunzel felt as if, if she did not clutch onto Eugene, she would drown in them.

Speaking of Eugene, he was quick to notice the smile fall from his wife’s face as soon as Anna passed her. He knew Rapunzel’s moods well. It was something he championed himself on, actually. When no one knew what she was feeling, including her parents, he always nailed the mood on the head. She was not too easy to read, necessarily. He just happened to see her often and pin them down more readily because of it. Another thing he knew and knew well was when she got into her head, as she was doing in the middle of the ceremony.

The something that kept her mind occupied was far from a good something, Eugene surmised, watching the saddened expression Rapunzel wore when Elsa gave Anna away fall even more pitiful. He could not do much of what he wished to do to comfort her, as painful as that was. Bringing her into his arms and letting her cry her eyes out over whatever pestered her would hardly be good for appearances, as he had come to learn. It would result in disrupting the ceremony and attracting unnecessary attention to them. Those where two things that he knew Rapunzel would not be too fond of, no matter what mood she was in. So, compromising, Eugene leaned down and kissed the top of his sulking wife’s head and squeezed her intertwined hand, getting her to look up at him. The green eyes he met looked shaken, but he tried his best to meet them with comfort. Though he knew not what it was for, he decided it was better than nothing.

“Are you okay?” He mouthed, raising a brow to her. She bit her lip, gazed over at the alter, and then nodded. A simple nod. It hardly seemed confident if you asked Eugene. He had seen and given plenty of more expressive nods in his life, but this one paled. It was as casual as a shrug, and the vacant gleam in her eyes that he caught as she looked away from him told him he would not get much more. But, despite its lackluster appearance, Eugene took solace in the fact it stood as a measly yet real assurance she would at least make it through the rest of the ceremony. After the ceremony, he could help. It could get better. Straightening up in his spot as the priest began to speak, he made sure to hold her hand tight and to not let her out of his sight, though she would never notice. She was too intent on watching the wedding and dreaming of what could have been.

The ceremony was wholesome.

After the more traditional parts that no love could ever make less boring, Anna and Kristoff recited their own vows. While the crowd grew rather confused about the talk of ‘love experts’ among other things, they were touched by how the couple made each other laugh and, at times, tear up. Even Eugene, though he would never admit it, grew a bit choked up as Anna expressed her gratefulness for Kristoff’s willingness to do anything for her. To be fair, it reminded him a lot of his own selfless, near life-ending actions for Rapunzel, and that still was a sore subject. He deserved a pass.

After Anna’s vows, the ring exchange took place without a hitch. Sven, it seemed, was much more behaved in comparison to his horse and chameleon cousins. He handed them the two golden bands with ease, and after a few more words, the couple’s vows were sealed with a kiss to the sound of trumpets. Eugene grew rather proud of himself after seeing the kiss break off sweetly after only a few short moments. He did not let it slip past him that his kiss with Rapunzel had been quite more intimate and passioned. No matter what Rapunzel thought about the decor, he thought, she could happily take comfort in knowing they _easily_ won in the kissing category.

Though, something about Rapunzel did not scream happy in that moment. She clapped alongside Eugene happily as the couple made their way down the aisle, but Eugene noticed her happiness did not truly reach her eyes. It also did little to fill her up with radiant sunshine as he had grown accustomed to. It troubled him, enough so that he made sure to mention it as soon as they left and were free to their own devices. In the middle of the elaborately decorated grand ballroom, at a tiny table reserved for them and one other royal family, Eugene decided enough was enough. He had to ask her. Catching Rapunzel sadly pushing her meal across her plate, Eugene nudged his chair closer to her and gave her the soft, loving grin he saved only for her. It made her blush and look away, though he could tell it did not return the sunshine.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Eugene,” she mumbled.

“I don’t think the food you’ve been pushing back and forth on the plate for the past ten minutes would say the same thing, Blondie.”

Blushing deeper, Rapunzel set her fork down and sighed. “I’m just…oh, I don’t know. I think I’m… _jealous_? Maybe? I’m still not entirely sure of how it feels, but I think I’m feeling it.”

Eugene gave her a curious look. “Jealous? Of what, the decor? I already told you, there’s nothing to worry about there. Ours was _far_ better. I _liked_ it.”

“Anna looked so pretty today.”

He stared at her, stumped. “And…?”

“And she was _pretty,_ Eugene!” Rapunzel pressed, earning looks from a few nearby and startled wedding guests. Realizing her outburst attracted onlookers, she shrunk a little in on herself and repeated the words more quietly, still simmering. When Eugene still did not understand, she sighed again and rested her head in her hand.

“Blondie, I’m really trying here.”

“I think she looked pretty,” she mumbled sadly. “Way prettier than _I_ was on my wedding day. And that’s the problem.”

Frowning, Eugene reached and placed his hand on hers. “Rapunzel, what are you talking about? You were breathtaking. Had Shorty’d not been there for me to push off of, I would’ve fallen clean off the alter. Just ask your father, he saw me almost do it! _And_ I almost cried! Me, Eugene Fitzherbert! _Crying_!”

“Yes, but you’re _supposed_ to feel that way about me.”

“I don’t think I’m _supposed_ to feel any specific way about you,” he replied, sincere.

Sincerity was not enough to convince her though, for Rapunzel’s head still remained hung in her hand, and she did not look like she would bring it up any time soon. This would call for more direct measures. Turning his chair to face her, Eugene made sure she got a full glance of him and he of her if she were to look up. She seemed to shrink even more at this scrutiny, almost not wishing for him to come closer, but he remained. He had learned this mood of hers as well. The hiding mood. She looked very childlike when she hid from him, he noted, seeing it happen once or twice over his nearly two years with her. She was like a kid who stole from the candy jar and fully knew what they did was wrong, but did not want to face their crimes. Eugene had been there plenty times as both a kid and adult, so he knew it well. The guilt is not something easily hidden from one’s face. He hardly believed such a soul-crushing feeling was worthy of finding a home in his beautiful princess, no matter how guilty she felt about her words or emotions.

Clearing his throat, Eugene cocked his head to the side. “What makes you think I’m acting under some sort of obligation all of a sudden? Last night, I thought I made it very clear just how highly I think of you. _Repeatedly_. Seriously, I don’t think I could’ve continued like that had I not felt _some_ sort of deep-down, guttural attraction to-”

“Eugene, _please_.”

Okay, perhaps that had been a _little_ too direct of an assurance.

“Hey,” he said, beckoning her to look at him, “you’ve been everywhere up in that mind of yours today, and I don’t want you to think you have to hide from me just because we’re at a public event. Come back to Earth for a little while, yeah?”

Rapunzel let out a small whimper to that, just barely audible. It made Eugene even more determined to press on and work this sadness out of her. “So, you think you weren’t as pretty as her. _As if_. I promise you, you are _gorgeous_ , Rapunzel. Utterly. Ask any other man or woman in this kingdom and back in ours, and I just _know_ they will agree with me. And, in the meantime, I will make every attempt I can to ensure that you know this when we next get some alone time together. That, my dear, you can count on. Okay?”

Rapunzel chewed at her lip. “Okay.”

“Just okay?”

“Promises…promises of sex, however great they may be, won’t get rid of the jealousy,” she stumbled.

She knew this was no way to speak as a princess, let alone a cousin of a blushing bride on her wedding day, or to even speak to her husband. But, she had to say it. Eugene was great at reading her, but sometimes, his muddled-up boy brain faltered in trying to come up with remedies for them. Flynn Rider often jumped out and took the reins, going full speed ahead into some surface level fix that would not cause him much thought or emotional strain. It was always sincere, but rarely effective. This was one of those times. He had given an attempt, trying to sway her back to comfort with his wedding day feelings and the opinions of the commoners, but when sex was brought into the equation? As much as Rapunzel enjoyed her alone time with Eugene, it soured his chance at freeing her from her emotional prison as soon as he mentioned it.

Now that her comment was out, and her husband was giving her some sort of confused, slightly shocked expression that hindered _any_ attempt of his brain to function properly, she felt even more wound up. Another sigh escaped her, this time followed by her leaning back in her chair. _This wedding will be the death of me._

“What’s going on with you, Rapunzel? Last night, you were all about wanting to make sure this was their _best day ever_ -” Rapunzel could not hide her scowl at the way he mimicked her same tone from all those months ago, “-and now you’re _upset_ that it _is_?”

“I don’t know,” she whined, running a hand through her hair. “I guess…I guess I thought this would not come close to our wedding and…and I got a little-”

“Cocky?”

“Overconfident,” she snapped, not wishing to give Eugene satisfaction from his crass word choice. “I was so scared that it wouldn’t come close to being the magical day it was for me that I did not stop to think it could, or that it even could top it. Now it has, and I don’t know what to make of it. I’m just some slimy, jealous mess of self doubt and emotions. Ugh, why did Anna even invite me here?”

Soft, understanding expression returning to his face, Eugene rested his hand on her thigh to calm her down. “Okay Blondie, a few things. One, it’s okay to be jealous. Really. I’ve dealt with jealousy far more than most in my life, and I’ve come to realize it’s quite the normal feeling. Is it great? No, but it’s normal, and while I didn’t expect it from you, I hardly blame you for it.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Two, and this is important, you have _nothing_ to be jealous about. Okay, so maybe we _didn’t_ have a big ice sculpture or pluck every last flower in all of Corona to decorate the alter. Maybe we _didn’t_ have a perfect cake or perfect reception – which, I must add, may not even rank below theirs since it hasn’t even begun yet. There’s still time for failure there. Anyway, what we did have, though, was a lot of love, a lot of laughter, and…and _fun._ Maybe it’s just because of how I grew up, but Blondie, it was one of the most fun, chaotic, crazy days I’ve ever had. Even Max and Pascal’s antics were fun, though destructive. It wasn’t cookie-cutter and elaborate, but what about us screams either of those things?”

“We made it our own,” Rapunzel chimed in, gently smiling. _There’s my girl._ Eugene grinned.

“Exactly. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I also would not have wanted _you_ any other way,” he added, squeezing her thigh. She blushed, looking down at him. “Did you see all that lace today? It’s hardly my favorite. It looks nice, but it’s so hard to move in and stuffy. Tell me how I would have been able to dance with you if you could hardly move or breathe? Not to mention, as I’ve said before, I’ve kinda got this thing for brunettes.”

Giggling, Rapunzel shoved at his knee. “I’ve noticed.”

“I’ve also gotten to enjoy your shorter hair, and I mean…the way you look at me? Rapunzel, there isn’t a lass in all the world who’s gaze I would melt more upon seeing. Anna?” He shrugged. “She’s fair and all, but even if she was decked out like one of my wildest fantasies, I don’t think she ever could compare to the way you make me feel. _You_ are my personal fantasy, Blondie. As long as you’re involved, it’ll always be my favorite thing. And I’m not just saying that,” he added, seeing her familiar doubt try to creep on into her sunshine. “I say that because I mean every bit of it.”

Reaching forward, Rapunzel snaked her arm around Eugene and brought him in for a long, tender kiss. She would have made it shorter, and perhaps even have given some semblance of a similar speech for him, because _man_ could she spend a year talking about everything she loved about him and how his speech managed to hit every single one of those things right then and there, but her voice would have failed her had she tried. She was speechless. He brought up some kind of emotion she couldn’t describe inside her, and it rendered all jealousy and words silent in one fair swoop. Sure, they still existed, but when she was with him and saw all his words reflected in his eyes? They might as well be chained and gagged in the back of her head.

As she pulled away, she found herself crying. A lot. They were the good kind of tears, but they trickled all the way down her face and threatened her makeup. The good man and husband he was, Eugene wiped her tears away at least before they fell to stain her gown. He hardly could have that happen.

“I-I love you.”

Smiling his lovesick smile, Eugene moved his hand to hers, choosing to squeeze it instead for comfort. “And I love you, too. No matter how you look or how others are. Now, how’s about we try to make the best of this shindig while it lasts, yeah? I think I saw some cupcakes on the big buffet table when we walked in.” A sinister grin took over his face, reminding her of his silly, overdramatic expressions when he told stories of Flynn Rider to Corona’s orphans. “Figure I can steal a few without anyone noticing?”

Raising her brow, Rapunzel giggled through her tears. “Thievery? At a wedding? Why sir, that’s unheard of!”

“Well, there’s nothing quite like being the first,” he winked.

The rest of the wedding, surprisingly, went off without a hitch. Eugene went and stole a few cupcakes for themselves to snack on, Anna and Kristoff had a sweet first dance as husband and wife, and shortly after, Rapunzel and Eugene did the same. As they swayed to some gentle melody, Rapunzel smiled and kissed her handsome goofball of a husband with all the love she could muster. Sure, the wedding might have started out as a bust for her, but he had helped make that all better. For that, she was forever grateful.

As long as he was around making her happy and putting sunshine back into her life, she would always have something for others to be jealous of.


End file.
